1. Field of the Invention
The present invention, generally, relates to devices for receiving fanfold paper being delivered substantially continuously from another mechanism and, more particularly, to a device that will permit such paper to stack itself in a neat, orderly and unassisted manner.
Mechanisms today that use continuous fanfold paper include printers connected with computers, and not all of these are the more expensive kind using powered paper handlers that physically manipulate the paper to put it where it should be stacked. There are many printers of the low cost variety that use paper stackers for handling continuous fanfold paper passively, only guiding the paper where it is to be stacked.
The lower cost printers typically do not include power assist devices, such as patters, wig-wag devices, automated paper output trays or receptacles, etc. Many of the paper stacker devices that are used today rely upon sides extending vertically to keep a paper stack upright.
Without side supports of any kind, there is a tendency for the paper to lean to one side or the other. Usually, the leaning begins early in the stacking process and gets progressively worse as the stack gets higher until the paper stack topples creating a tangled mess.
Even in the case of a more moderately high paper stack, tilting to one side can occur, making it more difficult to handle the paper. Many devices in use today use side supports to prevent such tilting tendencies.
However, use of these side supports to prevent tilting can frequently cause other problems. As the number of sheets builds up and the paper stack gets higher, there is a tendency for these side supports to interfere with the sheets being stacked.
The effect of a sheet contacting a side support creates a frictional force that is transferred backwardly away from the paper stack toward the print line, due to the nature of fanfold paper being connected at both top and bottom to the contiguous sheets. The frictional force and its resulting interference makes it difficult for the free falling sheets to break smoothly along their perforated lines, and the sheets do not stack flat one on the other as the paper stack grows in height.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Previous efforts in this area have developed many devices, some more useful, but most too expensive or impractical to be put into use. Some of these include the following.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,860,904 to Williams granted Aug. 29, 1989, describes a paper stacker structure with a single side member extending from a bottom having a dome shaped center.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,592 to Miieller et al. granted Oct. 30, 1979, describes a device for stacking an endless paper web on a movable bottom support.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,622,521 to Scott granted Jun. 11, 1985, describes a printer stand that includes two horizontal surfaces in a spaced position vertically from each other, apparently for storing fanfold paper before use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,996 to Vallis granted Mar. 31, 1992 describes the structure of a tray for holding fanfold paper to be fed to a paper processor.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,095,779 to Imagi et al. granted Jun. 20, 1978 describes a complex structural arrangement for stacking continuous paper from a printer.
While these prior paper stackers may be effective for their stated purposes, what is needed today is a paper stacker that will permit continuous fanfold paper to fold itself neatly, in an orderly manner and without powered assistance, particularly for use in a low cost environment. It is to this end that the present invention is directed. Moreover, when a paper stacker of the present invention is utilized as will be described in detail presently, it provides other advantages not available and not even contemplated by the prior arrangements.